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Shaolin Wahnam Video Series

SHAOLIN SEVENTY-TWO CHIN-NA TECHNIQUES

Single-Leg Lift Guitar

Revealing a Well-Known but Little-Understood Shaolin Art

Shaolin Kungfu is famous for its “Seventy Two Chin-Na Techniques”. “Chin-na” literally means “hold-grip”. It refers to a special way of fighting where by holding and gripping opponents in some specialized ways, you disable them from further action but without hurting them unnecessarily.

Chin-na is a compassionate way of fighting. Instead of injuring opponents seriously, like breaking their bones or damaging their internal organs, so that they cannot continue fighting, you put them out of action temporarily. They can seek medical help later on — not from conventional doctors as they would not know the nature of injury involved, but from kungfu masters or chi kung healers — to restore their health and normal functioning.

Chin-na is often mistaken to be the same as holds and locks. They are quite different. When you release your holds or locks, your opponent can continue to fight, but not in "chin na".

Traditionally, injuries from chin-na are classified into three main categories:

“fun khern” or separating tendons (including meridians)

“chor jit” or wronging joints

“na yuit” or gripping vital points

Some masters, however, refer to five categories, adding the following two:

“chit mak” or blocking meridian

“pai hei” or stopping energy

In the traditional classification, “blocking meridian” and “stopping energy” can be caused by separating tendons (including meridians) or gripping vital points.

Shaolin Seventy-Two Chin-Na Techniques

Due to its long history, there are different versions of the Shaolin Seventy-Two Chin-Na Techniques. The ones I practice are as follows. The names are in Cantonese pronunciation, followed by their English translation.

Golden Cockerel Locks Throat

Single Tiger Emerges from Cave
Tan Fu Chuit Toong

White Tiger Presents Claws
Pak Fu Hein Jow

Lead Horse Back to Stable
Tai Ma Kwei Choe

Golden Dragon Shoots Tongue
Kam Loong Thow Lea

Lohan Tames Tiger
Lo Han Fok Fu

Circling Hands Eagle Claws
Wan Sau Yin Jow

Single Leggedly Lift Guitar
Hou Tze Thou Thow

Beautiful Girl Turns Shuttle
Mei Lui Kow Sar

Cross-roads Hand Locks
Sap Tze Khow Sau

White Ape Grips Branch
Pak Hou Man Chi

Grand Old Man Catches Fish
Tai Kung Tiew Yu

Kwan Pheng Carries Insignia
Kwan Pheng Pou Yein

Hungry Tiger Leans against Fence
Ngo Fu Pang Lan

Pull a Tiger's Tail
Phat Fu Mei Sei

Running with a Hidden Tiger's Tail
Chow Chong Fu Mei

Hand Technique of a Balance
Thien Pheng Sau Fatt

Old Eagle Catches Snake
Lou Yin Kham Seai

Lohan Strikes Drum
Lo Han Khaik Ku

Immortal Tames Tiger
Kam Kong Fok Fu

Block the Big Boss
Lan Kong Chit Pa

Enter Sea to Catch Monster
Yap Hoi Kham Kow

Small Soldier Carries Umbrella
Siew Ping Tham San

Immortal Carries Sticks
Sin Yein Tham Chai

Nun Carries Umbrella
See Ku Tham San

Embrace Moon in Bosom

Sitting Double Lifting Palms
Chor Seong Thok Cheong

Double Dragons Subdue Monster
Seong Loong Fok Kow

Jade Girl Plucks Flower
Yok Lui Choi Fa

Bending Willow in the Wind
Yein Foong Whet Lou

Cocoon Hand Technique
Chin See Sau Fatt

Counter against Cocoon Hand
Fan Chin See Sau

Squatting to Pluck Flower
Fok Teai Choi Fa

Immortal Plays Clappers
Kok Kow Kap Pan

Golden Boy Worship Buddha
Kam Tong Lei Fatt

Squatting to Bend Lotus
Fok Teai Ow Lin

Golden Cockeral Locks Throat
Kam Kai Sor Hou

Eagle Claw Catches Dragon
Yin Jow Kham Loong

Double Dragons Carry Pearl
Seong Loong Pou Chui

Rotten Tree Exposes Roots
Ku Shue Fan Kein

Golden Thread Hangs Gourd
Kam Sin Thiew Lou

Squarting to Lock Throat
Fok Teai Sor Hou

Golden Bird Grips Eye-Brow
Kam See Phan Mei

Hungry Eagle Charges at Prey
Ngo Yin Pok Shek

Old Monk Grinds Rice
Lou Chang Mo Ma

Spiritual Monkey Plucks Fruit
Ling Hou Chak Kor

Double Bows Carry Moon
Seong Kung Pou Yuit

Double Dragons Play with Water
Seong Loong Hei Shui

Reverse Showing ofBull's Tail
Tou Seet Ngo Mei

Riding a Dragon to Pull Tendons
Khay Loong choi Keing

Cross-Road Hand Lock

Two Tigers Subdue Dragon
Yi Fu Hong Loong

Fierce Tiger Crouches on Ground
Mang Fu Fok Teai

Hungry Tiger Retreatfrom Den
Ngo Fu Thui Chow

Little Devil Removes Shoes
Siew Kwai Thuit Heur

White Ape Ascends Tree
Pak Yun Sheong Shue

White Monkey Catches Boar
Pak Hou Kham Chi

Monkey Steals Plum
Hou Tze Thou Thow

Stealing Plums Under Leaves Claws
Yip Tai Thou Thow

Immortal Plucks Tomatoes
Sin Yein Chak Kair

Bail Moon from Sea Bed
Hoi Teai Lau Yuit

Catch Tiger in Mountain
San Choong Kham Fu

Under Leaf Pluck Lotus
Yip Teai Choi Lin

Near Body Tiger Claw
Khan Sun Fu Jow

Second Auntie Grips Crab
Yi Ku Na Cham

Embrace Moon in Bosom
Whai Choong Pho Yuit

Fierce Tigers Cleanses Claws
Mang Fu Sai Jow

Black Tiger Guards Door
Hak Fu Tong Moon

General Leads Horse
Cheong Khun Tai

Lohan Embraces Buddha
Lo Han Pou Fatt

Tang Soldier Keeps Guest
Tong Ping Lau Hak

Tame Tiger Listen to Winds
Fok Fu Thean Foong

Fierce Tiger Crouching at Cliff
Mang Fu Foo Yu

Fierce Tiger Descends Mountain
Mang Fu Ha San

Fierce Tiger Catches Goat
Ngo Fu Kham Yeong

VIDEO CLIPS

During an Intensive Shaolin Kungfu Course, Grandmaster Wong gave an impromptu demonstration of some of the Shaolin chin-na techniques. The following video clips capture this demonstration.

Please note:
you can download the video clips onto your own computer and view them at your leisure. Place your computer pointer at the picture or one of the links, and right click. Choose “Save Target As”. Select the directory or sub-directory where you wish to keep the video clip. Click “Save”.